Various conventional keying arrangements utilize keying projections on one of a pair of matable connector housings which are received into corresponding keying grooves or channels of the other of the housings. Such keying arrangements permit mating of the appropriate corresponding connectors while preventing the mating of similar appearing connectors which are not intended to be mated. Certain prior art connectors include keying projections which are fabricated integrally with the housing at preselected locations, which necessitates manufacture of a plurality of housings different only in their particular keying projection arrangement. Other prior art connectors are first fabricated without keying projections, and separate key members are secured at desired locations in a further procedure.
It is desired to fabricate a plastic article which is programmable in a simple procedure without additional parts.
It is desired to fabricate a single design of connector housing including integral key projections wherein the housing is adapted to be particularly keyed after manufacture to achieve one of a plurality of keyed designs.
It is further desirable to fabricate both connector housings of a mating pair wherein each of the housings is adapted to be particularly keyed after manufacture to achieve one of a plurality of keyed designs, wherein the keyed designs of the two mating connectors are selected to permit mating to each other; and each of the two types of housings of the mating pair is of a single design for that type.